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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. P. BAIRD & I. NASH.

I I I TIME STAMP. 7 N0. 531,297. Patented Dec. 25, 1894.

5 MOW/a we Nonms wanna c0, PHOTU-LITNO wAwwm-m n c (No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2.

E. P. BAIRD & P. NASH.

TIME STAMP.

No. 531,297. Patented Dec. 25, 1894.

an R kw a iw m 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

B, P. BAIRD & F. NASH.

TIME STAMP.

Patented Dec, 25,1894.

NoTn-LITNO, WASHWGTUN, u c

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet E. ,2. BAIRD & F. NASH. TIME STAMP.

No. 531,297. Patented Dec. 25, 1894.

WITNESSES [NYE/V 0 w! 91mm;

UNITED STATES PATENT Qrrioe.

EDhVARD P. BAIRD AND FRANK NASH, OF PLATTSBURG, NE\V YORK; SAID NASH ASSIGNOR TO SAID BAIRD.

TIME-STAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531 ,297, dated December 25, 1894.

Application filed March 17, 1894. Serial No. 504,053. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD P. BAIRD and FRANK NASH, residing at Plattsburg, in the county of Clinton and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time-Stamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hand stamps, portions of the dating mechanism of which are to set by means of a clock; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafterfully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is arear view of the stamp showing its connection with the [5 clock. Fig. 2isalongitudinal section through the stamp. Fig. 3 is adetail plan view, from above, of the levers for operating the cash or numbering wheels at the front of the stamp, showing also a portion of the cover plate and the slots in which the said levers work. Fig. i is a detail plan view of the stamp wheels carrier removed from the main frame. Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section through the stamp wheels carrier taken on the line w 00 in Fig. 4,

and showing the time disk. Fig. 6 is a front view of the month and year dating wheels and the devices for operating them, showing the carrier in cross-section. Fig. 7 is a detail side view of the date changing mechanism 0 taken in section through the dating wheels shaft on the line y-y in Fig. 6, and showing the units wheel lever in the act of turning the tens wheel. Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on the line 2 z in Fig. 6 and showing the 5 years wheel and its lever. Fig. 9 is a detail longitudinal section through the movable platen showing its connection with the hand lever. Fig. 10 shows a sample of the work done by the stamp.

A is the main frame of the stamp consisting of two side plates coupled together by rods a. A clock A of any approved construction is secured to the upper and vertical portions of the frame A, and a is thecentral arbor of the clock upon which the minute hand is secured.

B is a vertical shaft at the rearof the clock. This shaft isconnected to the arbor a by the intergearing miter wheels b, and b is a square portion on the end of the arbor a for receiving a key whereby the clock can be set to correct time.

B is a toothed pinion secured on the lower end of the shaft B.

O is the carrier which carries the stamp wheels and time disk. This carrier consists of two plates, braced together, and having their ends supported in the grooves c in the main frame plates. The carrier is secured to the main frame by the screws 0. The main frame plates have horizontal portions (Z which are parallel with the bottom edges of the carrier plates and separated from them by a narrow space D. The sheet of paper to be stamped is thrust into the space D and rests upon the said portions d.

E is a stationary disk which is provided with a flange e at its sides and rear. This disk E is secured to the carrier 0 by screws 6 which pass through holes in the said flange and engage with bosses on the carrier. The disk E is preferably provided with a name plate D on its under side. This name plate may have letters adapted to stamp the words Patent Office, as shown in Fig. 10, or the name of any party by whom the stamp is used. Screws (1 are provided on each side of the screws 6'. The screws d are screwed into the flange e and bear against the carrier, thus affordinga means for setting the name plate to the exact position which will enable each letter on it to form a clear impression.

F is the revoluble time disk which surrounds the disk E. The under surface of the time disk is divided into halves, each half being divided into twelve sections numbered from 1 to 12, each number having the letters a m or p m adjacent to it, and each section being subdivided to indicate parts of hours. The time disk thus represents the twentyfour hours of a day.

F is a stationary plate secured to the carrier in front of the time disk. This plate F carries an index pointer of any approved f0rm,and the manner in which the said pointer indicates the time when stamped on the paper is clearly illustrated in Fig. 10.

The upper portion of the time disk is preferably concavo-convex, so that the disk may be very strong and stiff. The time disk F is [co secured upon the shaft f; and thelower end of this shaft is journaled in a hole in the disk E, the shoulder f of the said shaft resting on the disk E around the said hole. The shaft f is provided with a screw threaded portion g, and g is a nut screwed thereon and securing the time disk firmly to its shaft.

G is a toothed wheel secured upon the upper end of the shaftfand gearing into the pinion B, hereinbefore described. The upper end of the shaftfis journaled in a plate G which is secured to the carrier 0 and provided with adjusting screws in a similar manner to the flange e, hereinbefore described.

The time disk is geared to the clock so that the time disk is revolved by the clock once in twenty-four hours, and the setting of the clock to indicate correct time also sets the time disk to print correct time, because the said parts are connected positively and moved simultaneously by the setting key applied to the square end of the arbor a of the clock.

His the shaft upon which the dating wheels are journaled. This shaft is journaled on one side of the carrier in the boss h, and on the other side of the carrier in the sleeve h, and is provided with a knob H for turning it. A printing wheel I is secured on the shaft H, and has the names of the months Jan, Feb, Mar, &c., on its periphery.

1 is a collar secured on the shaft H to prevent it from sliding endwise.

A tens dating wheel 1' is journaled on the shaft 11 to the right of the wheel I, and is provided with three numerals 1, 2, and 3,and a blank space between the numerals 1 and 8. Four pins 1" project from the side of the wheel 2', and bear against a loose collar j which keeps them at a proper distance from the wheel I.

The units printing wheel J and a toothed pinion J are secured together, and are journaled on the shaft H to the right of the tens wheel.

K is a loose collar on the shaft H to the right of the pinion J, and separating it from the wheel K. The wheel K is also journaled on the shaft H. On one part of its periphery itis provided with the numerals 189, 190, and 191, forming a part of the year date, and on the other part of its periphery it is provided with pinion teeth 70.

M is a wheel secured on the end of the sleeve 72/, to the right of the wheel K, and provided with the numerals O to 9 inclusive, which together with the numerals on the wheel K make up the dates of the years 1890, 1891, 1892, (KEG. The sleeve ft is journaled in the boss m on the carrier and is provided with a knob m for rotating it.

N is a shaft secured in the carrier C, above the shaft H, and supporting the operating levers of the dating wheels.

N are arms projecting upwardly from the shaft N, and n is a brace which is secured to one of the arms and to the carrier, and which prevents the shaft and arms from moving.

P is a pin secured to the upper ends of the arms N.

P is a lever journaled on the pin P and having a toothed segment 19 on its lower end.

Q is a plate journaled on the shaft N between one of the said arms N and a collar 11' secured to the said shaft.

The plate Q is provided with a toothed segment q, above the shaft N, which engages with the toothed segment 1), and is also provided with a second toothed segment; g, below the said shaft, which engages with the toothed pinion J, hereinbefore described. A spring pawl 2 is secured to one of the arms N and engages with the teeth of the pinion J for the purpose of steadying it and the units wheel secured to it, and holding the respective numerals on the units wheel in positions to print clearly. An arm 3 projects downwardly and rearwardly from about the center of the aforesaid collar 1); and a second arm 4 projects downwardly from the right hand end of the said collar. A horizontal lever 5 is pivoted by the pin 6 to the end of the arm 3; and 7 is a pawl pivoted to the front end of the lever 5 by the pin 8. The lower end of the pawl 7 is provided with a notch 9, (which engages with the pins 2", hereinbefore described,) and a lip 11 which is pressed against the said pins by means of the light spring 12 secured to the lever 5 and bearing against the front edge of the pawl. A spring 13 is secured to the collar 1) and normally presses against two of the said pins 11 as shown in Fig. 2, thereby holding the tens wheel 2' in such positions as will cause the numerals on it to print clearly. A triangular tumbler 14 is pivoted by the pin 15 to the front part of the arm at. The lower part of the tumbler 14 is provided with a pin 16 which projects laterally into the path of the pins 17 and 17 which project from the ends of the oscillatory plate Q hereinbefore described.

Apin 18 projects laterally from the rear part of the tumbler 14., and on the opposite side of it from the pin 16. The pin 18 engages with an elongated hole 19 formed in the lever 5 near its pivot pin, and serves as a means whereby the said lever is operated.

R is a cover plate pivoted to the main frame A of the stamp by the pins 1", and B) are spring catches secured to the said frame and adapted to engage with the notches 0'' near the front end of the cover plate. The cover plate can be raised to expose the mechanism under it, and when pressed down is retained by the spring catches.

S are slots in the cover plate through which the operating levers of the dating wheels protrude.

T is thelever for operating the dating wheel K. This lever is journaled on the shaft N IIS between the boss of the right hand arm N and the collar 25 secured on the said shaft. The lower part of the lever T is provided with a toothed segment t which gears into the pinion teeth 70, hereinbefore described.

The levers T and P project through the slots S. Each lever is made of sufficiently elastic material to permit the catch 5 with which it is provided to be sprung out of any of the notches s in the cover plate, so that the lever may be moved around until the catch engages with another notch. The notches s are numbered to correspond with the numerals on the dating wheels to which they pertain.

The setting of the dating wheels is efiected as follows: The lever T is moved and its catch placed in the notch which will cause the wheel K to print the correct century and decade thereof; and the knob m is revolved to cause the wheel M to print the correct year of the said decade. The knob H is turned to cause the wheel I to print the correct month of the year. Supposing the correct date to be March 1, 1894, the lever P is placed with its catch in the notch in the cover plate which will cause the units wheel J to print 1 after Mar., the blank portion of the tens wheel being in line with the numeral 1. On the next day following, the lever P is moved backward one notch to cause the wheel J to print 2, and so on day by day until after the numeral 9 has been reached, the tens wheel not being moved. On the morning of March 10, the lever P is moved a full stroke in the opposite direction. At the end of this stroke the pin 17 on the plate Q strikes the pin 16 and turns the tumbler 14C to the position shown in Fig. 7. The lever 5 is turned on its pivot by the said tumbler, and pushes down the pawl 7 against one of the pins t", thereby turning the tens wheel one quarter of a revolution and placing it in a correct position to print the numeral 1. This movement of the lever P also turned back the units wheel for a little over nine-tenths of a revolution, and moved the numeral 0 to a position a little in front of its correct position. When the operator lets go of the lever P, the spring pawl 2 bears hard against the flank of one of the teeth of the pinion J, and moves it and the units wheel back a little, placing the numeral 0 in alignment with the numeral 1 on the tens wheel so that the number 10 will appear after Mar. The lever P is then moved back day by day until the morning of the th, when the tens wheel is again operated by moving the lever a full stroke forward the same as before described.

The pin 17, .is provided for the purpose of raising the pawl 7 to its highest position when the lever P reaches the end of its rearward stroke. This it does on the ninth, nineteenth and twenty-ninth days of each month, and when the pawl is thus raised the notch 9 comes above another of the pins 2', and the lip 11 on the end of the pawl is pressed against the pin by the spring 12.

Y is a printing roller journaled in the carrier, and provided with an operating knob on one end of it outside the frame. This knob is similar to the knob H and is not shown in the drawings. This roller carries such words as Received, Paid, the.

U are the cash printing or numbering wheels journaled on the shaft U secured to the front part of the carrier. Each wheel U has the numerals 0 to 9 on its periphery, a blank space, and a mark, such as it, indicating value. Each wheel U has a toothed pinion u secured to it. When the wheels U print dollars and cents a collar is used to keep the cents wheels at a little distance from the dollars wheels, so that the amount printed may be clear, as shown in Fig. 10.

V is a shaft secured to the front part of the carrier above the shaft U.

V are levers journaled on the shaft V and provided with toothed segments '0 gearing into the pinions u and forming the means for revolving them.

Washers are mounted on the shaft V to keep the levers V at the proper distance apart. The levers V project through slots 20 in the cover plate R and are provided with catches 21 which engage with notches 22 in the cover plate. The levers V are made of elastic material the same as the levers T and P, and the notches are numbered to correspond with the numerals, on the wheels U, to which they pertain.

A printing ribbon lV coated with any approved ink is arranged under the printing mechanism of the stamp. This ribbon is mounted on two rollers 10 journaled, respectively, at the front and at the rear part of the carrier. Each roller is provided with an operating knob W, and a tension spring w which offers a slight but constant resistance to the motion of the ribbon.

Two transverse bars 25 and 26 are secured in the lower part of the main frame- A. A plate 27 rests upon the bars, and is provided with a broad groove 28 engaging the rear bar 25, and two narrow grooves 29 for engaging with the front bar 26. A hooked plate 30 is secured to the plate 27 by the screw 31, and extends under the bar 25 so that the plate may be slid back and forth on the said bar but cannot leave it altogether. A handle 32 is secured to the plate 27 for raising its narrow grooves 29 out of engagement with the bar 26 and moving the plate back and forth. A platen 10 is provided and preferably consists of a wooden plate covered with a facing of india rubber or other yielding material. The platen 4:0 is secured to a concavo-convex plate 11 by screws 42. A piston 43 forms the support for the platen, and is provided with a tongue 44 which projects through a hole in the plate 41, and is provided with a pin 45 above the plate to prevent the platen from being detached from its support. The piston 43 slides in a cylinder 46 which is secured to the plate 27 by the flange 47 and screws 48. The lower end 49 of the piston is forked and is provided with a roller 50 journaled on the pin 51. A hand lever 52 is provided and is pivoted on the pin 53 between the lugs 54 on the cylinder. The end 55 of the lever 52 projects under the roller 50, so that the platen is raised when the hand lever is depressed. Springs 56 are secured to the plate 41 and flange 47, one on each side of the cylinder, and return the platen to its lowest position when the pressure of the hand is removed from the hand lever. WVhen the front groove 29 engages with the bar 26, and the hand lever is depressed, the platen is raised and presses any paper resting on it against the ribbon and all the printing wheels, thereby producing an impression similar to that shown in Fig. 10, on the paper. ,When the platen is moved back, as shown in Fig. 2, the paper is not pressed against the cash printing or numbering wheels, and that part of the impression remains blank. Thus a simple and ready means for changing the stamp is provided.

The concavo-convex plate is free to move and rock upon the top of the piston, but is normally held horizontal by the springs. Thus the platen is rendered self-adj usting to the faces of the numerals and characters, and a clear impression is assured.

What we claim is- 1. The combination, with the main frame of the stamp provided with horizontal portions d, and horizontal grooves c in its side plates; of the carrier for the stamp wheels consisting of vertical plates braced together and secured at one end in the said grooves, a space D being formed between the portions d and the under side of the carrier for the insertion of the paper to be stamped, substantially as set forth.

2. Thecombination,with the revoluble time disk having marks and numerals on its under side indicating hours and parts of hours, the

time disk shaft, and bearings for the said shaft above and below the time disk; of a toothed wheel secured on the top of the said shaft, the shaft B journaled parallel with the aforesaid shaft, the toothed pinion secured on the shaft B and gearing into the said wheel, a clock, and the two inter-gearing beveled toothed wheels secured on the shaft B and on the minutes-hand arbor of the said clock respectively, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the revoluble time disk having numerals and letters on its under side and a substantially concavo-convex upper portion; of a vertical shaft secured to the said time disk, bearings for the said shaft above and below the time disk, and means for revolving the time disk, such as a toothed wheel, secured on the said shaft, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the side plates of the carrier, and the stationary disk E provided with a flange secured to the under sides of the said plates; of the revoluble time disk encircling the disk E and provided with a substantially concavo-convex upper portion, the plate G secured to the upper sides of the said plates, a vertical shaft secured to the time disk, supported by the disk E, and journaled in the plate G; and means for revolving the time disk, such as a toothed wheel, secured on the said shaft, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the shaft II, and the tens wheel 6 journaled thereon and provided with laterally projecting pins 2''; of the shaft N, the collar 19' secured on the shaft N and provided with the arms 3 and 4, thelever 5 pivoted to the arm 3 and provided with a hole 19, the spring-pressed pawl 7 pivoted to the end of the lever 5 and engaging with the pins 1 the tumbler 14 pivoted to the arm 4 and provided with the pin 18 engaging with the said hole 19, and a laterally projecting pin 16; the spring 13 pressing against the pins 2"; and an oscillatory operating plate journaled on the shaft N and provided with the pins 17 and 17for striking the said pin 16, and thereby turning the said tens wheel, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the shaft H, and the units wheel J and toothed pinion J secured together and journaled on the said shaft; of the tens wheel 2' also journaled on the said shaft and provided with laterally projecting pins; the shaft N, the oscillatory operating plate Q journaled on the shaft N and provided with a toothed segment gearing into the pinion J, and the laterally projecting pins 17 and 17; the stationary spring 13 and the spring pawl 2 engaging with the pins 2" and with the teeth of the pinion J respectively; and intermediate trip mechanism substantially as set forth, operated by the said pins 17 and 17 and provided with a pawl for engaging the said pinst", whereby the tens wheel is operated when the units wheel has been turned to print its highest numeral, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the main frame, the carrier secured to the main frame, and the stamp wheels provided with operating levers and supported by the carrier substantially as set forth; of a cover plate pivoted at one end to the said main frame and provided with slots through which the said operating levers protrude; and spring catches for securing the other end of the cover plate to the carrier, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the main frame provided with transverse bars; and a series of printing devices supported face downward over the said bars; of a plate movable on the said bars and provided with notches engaging with them and avertically movable platen carried by the said plate and operating to cause all or onlyapart of the printing devices to print simultaneously according to the position of the said movable plate on the said bars, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the main frame provided with two transverse bars; of a mov able plate for supporting the platen, said plate being provided with a broad groove engaging one of the said bars, and narrow grooves adapted to engage with the other said bar; and a hooked plate secured to the said movable plate and engaging with the bar in the broad groove, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with the platen, and the concavo-convex plate secured to its under side; of the piston provided with a tongue passing through a hole in the said plate, the piston cylinder, the pivoted hand lever for raising the piston,and springs normally holding the platen depressed and permitting it to be self-adjusting when raised, substantially as set forth.

EDWARD P. BAIRD. FRANK NASH.

Witnesses to the signature of Edward P. Baird:

FRANK E. DAVIS, LILA WARTERFIELD.

. \Vitnesses to the signature of Frank Nash:

A. S. BRADLEY, ALEX TRAINER. 

